Metadata Working Group Charter

The Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) Metadata Working Group
(MWG) promotes and coordinates the documentation, discovery, and reuse
of geospatial data resources in support of the National Spatial Data
Infrastructure (NSDI).

The Metadata Working Group:

Promotes awareness and best practices among FGDC member agencies
and other interested stakeholders about the metadata component of
geospatial data

Supports the implementation of geospatial metadata and other
related semantic and structural (e.g., non-geospatial) metadata
standards established by Federal, National and International Standards
organizations such as the FGDC, Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC),
American National Standards Institute (ANSI), International
Organization for Standardization (ISO), Dublin Core Metadata Initiative
(DCMI), Open Source Metadata Framework (OMF), Ecological Metadata
Language (EML), and the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).

The Metadata Working Group is accountable to and provides
recommendations to the FGDC Coordination Group, which are the
operational authorities responsible for providing leadership and
direction in the use and development of geospatial data and information
across Federal geospatial programs and in conjunction with public and
private sector partners/stakeholders.

AUTHORITIES

FGDC Working Groups are chartered under the FGDC Steering Committee
and supported by the FGDC Secretariat which are granted authority
through the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-16,
Executive Order 12906 and the E-Gov Act of 2002. In addition, other OMB
guidance or policies may apply including Circulars A-11, A-119 or
A-130, the Digital Government Strategy or the Open Data Policy, as
appropriate.

SCOPE

The Metadata Working Group addresses local, regional, national, and
international geospatial metadata as well as other related semantic and
structural (e.g., non-geospatial) metadata standards issues that affect
all NSDI Stakeholders. Individual members regularly provide outreach
and information to their communities.

Identifies tools, guidance documents and other resources that
illustrate the business case for developing metadata and support
geospatial metadata implementation, particularly those hosted by the
Geospatial Platform.

ACTIVITIES

Metadata Working Group activities support the objectives presented
above by:

Exchanging and promoting information about geospatial metadata
activities including metadata implementation efforts and training
opportunities supported by FGDC members and other supporters of the
Geospatial Platform and the NSDI.

Developing, evaluating, and recommending revisions to geospatial
metadata definitions and standards developed by international and
national organizations, for example, ANSI, OGC, and ISO.

Promoting the publication of digital spatial data through
searchable metadata in cooperation with the Geospatial Platform.

Facilitating the economic and efficient application of geospatial
metadata through sharing of experiences involving metadata
applications.

MEMBERSHIP

The Metadata Working Group consists of representatives designated by
the Federal agencies and draws from other FGDC Subcommittees and
Working Groups. Members are expected to be active in the development
and application of policies related to the production and use of
metadata within their community. Each member agency, Subcommittee, or
Working Group may designate its representative, an alternate if
desired, and changes thereto, to the Metadata Working Group Chair.

Other organizations (e.g., Tribal, Non-Federal, State, County,
Local, Academia, and Private Sector) may be added with the concurrence
of the Metadata Working Group Chair. Although non-Federal participants
may engage in Metadata Working Group discussions and offer information
and opinions, their participation is limited to a non-voting role.

The Chair shall be from a Federal FGDC partner agency or the FGDC
Secretariat.

SUBGROUPS

The Chair may establish ad hoc subgroups to accomplish the
objectives outlined in the planned activities, as needed.

PROCEDURES

The Metadata Working Group meetings shall be held at the call of the
Working Group Chair and conducted at least bi-annually. Meetings may be
held virtually or in person. Agenda items will be coordinated with
other Working Group members and will be available at least five days in
advance of proposed meeting dates.

Decisions shall be on the basis of consensus agreement. Issues to be
resolved will be referred promptly to the FGDC Coordination Group for
schedule and resolution.

The Metadata Working Group may establish additional rules and
procedures for conducting metadata-related business.

COORDINATION RESPONSIBILITIES

The Metadata Working Group will employ tools best suited to meet its
responsibilities, such as online webinars, teleconferences, national
user forums, annual research initiatives, and cooperative venues,
pursuant to the availability of resources. The Metadata Working Group
Chair will coordinate working group activities with other Working
Groups and Subcommittees, FGDC Coordination Group and other appropriate
venues relevant to accomplish key activities and effectively growing
the geospatial community.

REPORTS

The Metadata Working Group shall develop an annual summary of
accomplishments and planned activities and present it to the FGDC
Secretariat and FGDC Coordination Group for acceptance.

The FGDC Secretariat or FGDC Coordination Group may request the MWG
to prepare special reports, white papers, technical papers, briefings
and the like to address pertinent issues, cross-cutting activities,
and/or matters of urgency consistent with the larger FGDC community
needs. These requests may come from FGDC Office of the Secretariat,
FGDC Coordination Group, or FGDC Member Agencies. The MWG, through the
Chair, will submit content for the FGDC Annual Report each year, as
requested by the FGDC Secretariat.

The MWG will maintain information about its activities on the
Working Group web page on the FGDC website at www.fgdc.gov.

APPROVALS

This Charter will remain in effect until amended or replaced or
until terminated by the FGDC Steering Committee or FGDC Coordination
Group. This Charter will be posted on the FGDC website at www.fgdc.gov.